North & South (TV Mini Series 2004)
[Official British BBC DVD 2-disc box set]
Brand NEW and factory SEALED (within clear film 'shrink-wrap').
This is the newest British DVD version of this release which I am aware of. Similar to previous artwork, however it has a more contemporary look (with the purple BBC logo and matching clothes on the cover art).
Two disc DVD boxed set. Originally bought from a high street shop. Beware of fake DVDs.
Details
Aspect Ratio : 16:9 - 1.78:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : Unknown
Language : English
Product Dimensions : 13.5 x 1.5 x 19 cm; 90 Grams
Manufacturer reference : BBCDVD1695 / 5014503169527
Director : Brian Percival
Media Format : PAL, Subtitled, Digital Sound, Dolby, Colour
Run time : 3 hours and 53 minutes
Release date : 11 April 2005
Actors : Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Sinead Cusack, Lesley Manville, Tim Pigott-Smith
Subtitles: : English, English
Language : English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Studio : 2Entertain Video
Number of discs : 2
Best Sellers Rank: 1,714 in DVD & Blu-ray (See Top 100 in DVD & Blu-ray)
55 in Historical (DVD & Blu-ray)
56 in Romance (DVD & Blu-ray)
507 in Television (DVD & Blu-ray)
Customer reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars (2,882 ratings)
Description
North and South is a powerful adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's feisty and passionate British novel, set across the social divides in the changing world of Victorian industrial society. Margaret Hale is one of literature's most original heroines: a southerner from a country vicarage newly settled in the industrial northern town of Milton. In the shock of her move, she misjudges charismatic cotton mill-owner John Thornton, whose strength of purpose and passion are a match for her own pride and wilfulness. When the workers of Milton call a strike, Margaret takes their side, and the two are brought into deeper conflict. As events spiral out of control, Margaret - to her surprise - begins to fall in love with Thornton...
DVD Extras: Specially recorded interview with Richard Armitage, Commentary on Episodes 1 & 4 with Kate Bartlett, Brian Percival and Sandy Welch, Deleted Scenes & Production Notes
Additional Info (copied from rear of case)
Elizabeth Gaskell’s passionate tale of love across the social divide – North & South
‘An intelligent, moving, thought provoking and visually striking adaptation’ – The Times newspaper
‘This is Pride and Prejudice with a social conscience, a collision between Northern no-nonsense and delicate Southern sensibilities.’ – Sunday Express
As the daughter of a middle-class parson, Margaret Hale (Denby-Ashe) has enjoyed a privileged upbringing in rural southern England. But when her father (Pigott-Smith) makes a life-changing decision to uproot the family, she is forced to adapt to a new life in Milton--a northern mill town in the throes of the industrial revolution.
Margaret is shocked by her new surroundings and is appalled by the dirt, noise and gruffness of the people. But her greatest contempt is for the charismatic proprietor of Marlborough Mills, John Thornton (Armitage), and when he becomes a "pupil" of her father, she makes her distaste for him abundantly clear.
Over time, Margaret's attitude towards the mill workers begins to change and she joins their workplace struggles against poverty and disease, but will she ever change her view of their employer, who has secretly become her admirer?
A four-part adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's classic and multi-layered love story.
SPECIAL FEATURES / EXTRAS / BONUS MATERIAL
- Commentary on Episodes 1 & 4 with Kate Bartlett, Brian Percival and Sandy Welch
- Specially recorded interview with Richard Armitage
- Deleted Scenes
- Production Notes
Review(s)
North & South is a splendid, four-hour adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 19th century novel about an unlikely, and somewhat star-crossed, love between a middle-class young woman from England's cultivated south and an intemperate if misunderstood industrialist in a northern city. Daniela Denby-Ashe plays Margaret Hale, forthright and strong-willed daughter of a former vicar (Tim Pigott-Smith) who relocates his family from a pastoral village outside London to unforgiving, largely illiterate Milton, a factory town where John Thornton (Richard Armitage) and his mother (Sinead Cusack), survivors of poverty, rule their cotton mill with an iron hand. Thornton befriends Margaret's father but incurs her wrath for his severity with his workers. What she doesn't notice is Thornton's core sense of responsibility for his employees' welfare. On the other hand, he misinterprets some of Margaret's own actions and intentions. Equally stubborn, the two drag out their obvious attraction over many painful months and events.
North & South's two leads are both very good, though Armitage's brooding, penetrating performance may very well be considered a classic one day. There are other wonders in the cast: Cusack and Pigott-Smith are superb, and Brendan Coyle is memorable as a firebrand union organizer who ultimately becomes an ally to a softening Thornton. The miniseries script by Sandy Welch is a persuasive mix of historical context and character study. Brian Percival's direction is full of moments that linger in the imagination, such as the winter-dream look of a busy cotton mill, with thousands of snowy fibers floating in the air. - Tom Keogh
4.0 out of 5 stars “The North-South Divide”
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 March 2017
A very strong four part production from the BBC showing the difficulties a family from the south of England has when they move to the North of England in reduced circumstances following a family scandal. The customs, mentality, manners, culture and business ethics are totally alien to the Hale family, and they struggle to adapt to the industrial cotton mill world they are surrounded by. However, as time goes by, they realise that there are benefits to the northerner's approach.
The story is based on the 1855 Victorian novel by Elizabeth Gaskell (which was edited by Charles Dickens) and has been creatively adapted to the screen by Sandy Welch. Some of the chronology has been changed from the novel, such as the train journeys at the start and end of the series - filmed at Bluebell Railway in Sussex - are inserted by Sandy Welch. And, the 1851 Great Exhibition scene was not in the novel, but is a magical addition to the TV adaptation. Filmed at Alexandra Palace in North London, it showcases many weird and wonderful objects from around the world.
The two principal characters dominate proceedings - a love story between Margaret Hale (from the south) and John Thornton (from the north). Margaret is wonderfully portrayed by Daniela Denby-Ashe in an engaging, direct and thoughtful performance. Her incredible skepticism for the north at the start is gradually replaced by an appreciation of the working class values she encounters from factory workers, mainly Nicholas Higgins who is energetically and forthrightly played by Brendan Coyle. John is fantastically portrayed by Richard Armitage - he combines an aggression and focus on his work with a realisation that Margaret is the only woman who could replace his mother as the most important person in his life. His mother is regally played by Sinéad Cusack.
The costumes are fantastic - they look authentic and there is an incredible difference between the impressive and clean clothing of the moneyed class, and the virtual dirty rags worn by the mill workers. The sets are wonderfully created, especially the cotton mill which is continually billowing with white fluffy cotton remnants which cause serious health problems for the workers - this was filmed at Helmshore Textile Museum in Rossendale and Queen Street Mill near Burnley. Many locations were used to shoot the series, all combining to give a very accurate representation of industrial Victorian England. Places used include Edinburgh, Keighley in West Yorkshire, Selkirk and Burnley.
Overall, a fantastic adaptation showing how the North-South divide can be bridged. Full marks to everyone involved.
14 people found this helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars “Wonderful, wonderful BBC costume drama...”
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 April 2019
The Amazon description was a little confusing as the series details were from an older version, when it was the 2004 version that I wanted to watch with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby Ashe. It was the 2004 version and wow! Just wow! From the first opening sequence, sweeping across the English countryside as our heroine travels north to the closing scene, it is a fabulous body of work from the BBC. Totally addictive 2004 BBC costume drama in four episodes starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe in the lead roles. I could not stop watching it. Class struggle, people fighting to live a decent life, or even to live, and a blossoming love between two people who at first seem to have nothing in common but are both eventually shown to be loyal, compassionate and deeply in love with each other. LOVED IT!
6 people found this helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars “A faithful adaptation.”
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2021
Whilst the 2020/2021 Lockdown is giving us all a chance to catch up on reading and viewing, I recently 'discovered' Elizabeth Gaskell and started with her novel 'North and South'. It is a remarkable study of the suppressed emotions and startlingly appalling treatment of both women and workers - well, certainly in the North West.
The adaptation for television is a BBC classical classic! The pace is slow and weighted, although when drama hits - it becomes more powerful for all of the contradiction of the accepted standards in domesticity and socially. Sinead Cusack and Richard Armitage are both held stiff and unrelenting in their refusal(?) to show compassion and humanity as matriarch and master of the household and mill respectively - both command a fearful presence. While Daniela Denby-Ashe shows a strength in her naivety to northern ways, I found her one lingering 'over-the-shoulder' glances at Mr Thornton a tad predictable and ineffective. The role of Margaret Hale needed a much stronger sense of opposing Mr Thornton for his eventual change of heart to react against.
However, it was a joy to watch and, I might add, better than Cranford, which I was disappointed in - but that's another tale.
One person found this helpful